Coil winding machine



March 19, 1935. A, R|TTENHOU$E 1,995,227

COIL WINDING MAQHINE Filed NOV. 7, 1932 Patented Mar. 19, 1935 I UNITED STATESPATENT 'OFFICEl COIL WINDING MAcHmE Alvah Rittenhouse, Philadelphia, Pa., assigner to Philadelphia Storage Battery Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application November 7, 1932, Serial No. 641,674 3 Claims. (Cl. 242-9) -This invention relates broadly to apparatus for stitutes a take-off roll and serves to feed the conwinding material upon mandrels or bobbins and ductor to thecoil winding assembly 5 through-a specifically to apparatus forwinding a stand in suitable supporting guide 6. Any other means .one or more helical layers. lWhile it is capable for supplying the strand may be used.

5 of general application and may bepracticed in The assembly 5 comprises a support 'l which- 5 any instance where it is desired to wind spools s adapted to removablyand rotatably carry a lor the `like,rthe invention is directed specifically mandrel or bobbin 8 upon which the coil is to to the winding of electrical coils commonly used be wound. In the specific apparatus illustrated, in radio apparatus and commonly known as the mandrel support carries a gear9which meshes 10 honeycomb coils. Such a coil comprises a pluwith a driving gear 10 journaled in support 7. l0 rality of superposed helices, 'the turns of alter- The shaft of gear 10 pivotally carries a supportlnate helices being generally parallel, while the ing member 11 which, in turn, rotatably carries turns of adjacent helices lie at an angle to each a relatively small diameter roll 12 and a cylinother. In winding such a` coil, the mandrel or drical cam member 13. Support 11, roll 12 and l5 bobbin upon which it is wound is rotated and member 13 constitute a unitary assembly whichv 15 the continuous strand is'fed froma take-oit is pivotally mounted about the shaft of gear.. roll. At the same time that lthestrand is fed 10. The small roll 12 is disposed immediately to the bobbin, it is reciprocally moved axially above the mandrel or bobbin 8 and engages the ofthe bobbin so that the superposed helices above same. Cam member 13 is disposed above and mentioned are wound. engages roll- 12. 'I'he pivotally mounted assem- 20 An objectof theinvention is to provide novel bly is gravitationally urged downward so that apparatus for tightly winding a strand upon a constant pressure of the desired magnitude is bobbin or mandrel, which apparatus functions to vexerted upon the mandrel or bobbin 8 by roll gently but rmly position the individual turns 12. A gear 14 is carried by cam member 13 and of the strand upon the bobbin without subjectalso meshes with gear 10 so as to be driven thereby. 25 ing the strand to excessive strain or tension. Gear 10 may be rotated by means of any suity A more specific object of the invention is to able source of power (not shown), such as a provide apparatus for winding honeycomb coils motor connected to the shaft of the gear or other comprising novel means for feeding the insuactuating means. The direction of rotation of lated electrical conductor to the mandrel or bobgear 10 is as indicated by the arrow. This gear 30 bin while reciprocally moving the conductor axiserves to drive the driven gears and the elements ally of the bobbin to effect the desired helical to which they are attached in the directions of winding. The means heretofore used for rethe arrows. Due to its frictional engagement ciprocally moving the 'strand in order to effect with mandrel 8 and cam member 13, roll 12 is the helical winding of a coil have been objectiondriven in the'direction indicated. It will be seen 35 able for various reasons. 'Ihe present invention then that mandrel 8 and cam member 13 are overcomes these objections. rotated in a counter-clockwise direction, while The invention is illustrated on the accomroll 12 is rotated in a clockwise direction. 'I'hepanying. drawing and described hereinafter for conductor or strand 4, after passing through 40 the purpose of disclosure with particular referguide 6, passes circumferentially of cam member 40 ence tothe winding of honeycomb coils, but 13, between the cam member and roll 12, around it will be understood that the invention is not the right-hand circumferential portion of roll 12,

thus limited as above stated. and between the roll and mandrel 8. By virtue In the drawing: of the reverse bend of the conductor in passing Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic elevational view of around roll 12 very tight winding of the coil is 45 apparatus embodying the invention; had and any tendency of the conductor to kink or Fig. 2 is a detail view illustrating the cylindritake undesired paths is corrected. Thus, thereoncal grooved cam member which constitutes an imductor is gently but tightly woundupon the manportant feature of the invention; and drel or bobbin. Because of the pivotal mount- Fig. 3` is a diagrammatic elevational view of ing or roll 12 and cam member 13, these elements 50A a portion of a. modified form of the apparatus. move as a unit away from the mandrel as the Referring to Fig. l, a support 1 having a verticoil builds up thereon. cally extending spindle 2 rotatably carries a spool In Fig. 2, the construction of cam member 13 or bobbin 3 upon which the continuous insulated is shown more clearly. This member is provided conductor 4 is wound. The spool or bobbin 3 conwith a circumferential cam groove 15 which is '55 of such depth that it will just nicely receive the strand or conductor 4 and serve as a retaining guide for the conductor. The conductor approaches the cam member tangentially thereof, as shown clearly in Fig. 1, and enters the groove 15. Due to the cam formation of the groove, the conductor is, of course, moved transversely or axially of the mandrel or bobbin 8 at the same time that it is fed to the bobbin. The cam member 13, in the specific apparatus of Fig. 1, feeds the strand or conductor to roll l2, at the same time moving the conductor transversely as just noted. Cam 13 then constitutes the specific means for effecting reciprocal movement of the conductor axially of the mandrel or bobbin. By virtue of the fact that the cam member is located in close proximity to the bobbin, the reciprocal movement of the strand or conductor is elected gently and without any whipping action. The strand is thus laid upon the mandrel or bobbin gently but firmly in the desired reverse helical fashion without being subjected to excessive strain or tension. Devices used heretofore have been objectionable for the reason that the reciprocating means has caused whipping'of the conductor or strand While it is being fed, thereby subjecting it to strain or tension ofttimes sufficient to injure or break the conductor. This objectionable characteristic has also resulted in loosely wound coils. The present apparatus eliminates entirely these objections of prior devices.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to a specific arrangement of parts illustrated in Fig. 1. The gear arrangement of Fig. 1 is merely illustrated as a possible Way in which the elements may be driven. Obviously, any other suitable arrangement may be used. 'Ihe details of construction of cam member 13, as well as the relative speeds of the various parts are also subject to variation depending upon the requirements in any particular instance. It will be understood, however, that the axial dimension of the cam portion of member 13, as well as that of roll 12, will be substantially equal to the portion of the bobbin or mandrel 8 upon which the coil isbeing wound. This is essential in order that the conductor will be properly wound over desired length of the mandrel or bobbin and in order that it will be tightly pressed into engagement with the bobbin or the turns previously wound thereupon by roll 12.

As it is illustrated in Fig. 2, the groove of cam l member 13 is formed to provide at least one complete reciprocating cycle during one revolutionof the cam member.

The construction of the groove may, however, be varied to provide any desired number of reciprocating cycles during a revolution of the cam member. This will necessarily depend upon the speed at which it is desired to rotate the cam member relative to the speed of the bobbin or mandrel. As the apparatus is illustrated in Fig. 1, the mandrel and cam member will rotate at substantially the same speed and the groove 14 is for this reason constructed as above noted.

No attempt has been made herein to illustrate the various refinements which may be incorporated in the apparatus disclosed. Such features as are Well known in the art and are commonly provided in connection with apparatus of this nature may be incorporated in the apparatus, as Will bereadily understood. For example, automatic stopping means may be provided in order that a coil of a predetermined number of turns or layers will be automatically obtained. Also, mechanism for counting the number of turns as they are wound upon the coil may be utilized. Such devices are conventional and there is no need for further mention of them here.

Although the arrangement disclosed in Fig. 1 is preferred, roll 12 is really not essential in practicing the general principles of the invention..

In Fig. 3, there is illustrated a modified form of apparatus in which this roll has been omitted. In this instance, the driving gear 10 is provided as before and serves to drive gear 14 in a counterclockwise direction, the cam member 13 being pivotally supported upon arm 11a. In this case, the conductor 4 passes about the left-hand circumferential portion of cam member 13, between the cam member and the mandrel or bobbin 8, and about the mandrel in a reverse fashion as compared to that of Fig. 1. It is necessary in this case to drive the mandrel or bobbin in a clockwise direction, and to this end, a gear 16 is driven by gear 17 carried upon the shaft of gear 10. Gear 15, in turn, drives the gear 9 carried by the mandrel or bobbin. In this case, the operation is substantially the same as before, but the cam member itself feeds the conductor directly to the mandrel or bobbin and gravitationally engages the bobbin. The conductor is thus gently but tightly wound upon the bobbin in the desired reverse helical fashion. Here again, various changes and modifications may be made in the arrangement shown. It is only necessary to drive the bobbin 8 mechanically, as the other elements may be `frictionally driven by the bobbin and the material being wound upon it.

Element 12, here shown as a roller, may alternatively be a smooth pin.

Although two embodiments involving the teachings of the invention have been disclosed herein, it is evident that various other modifica.- tions are possible and may be utilized without 7departing from the spirit of the invention. The

invention is, therefore, not to be limited by the specific disclosure but only as indicated by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In radio coil-winding apparatus, means for winding a wire strand at relatively high speed upon a rotating bobbin or mandrel, comprising a roll of substantially smaller diameter than said bobbin adjacent theV bobbin and engaging the same, a cylindrical cam member of substantially larger diameter than said roll, having a surface groove therein, disposed adjacent said roll and engaging the same, and means for feeding said strand to said cam member tangentially of the same at a point substantially distant from the point'of engagement of said roll with said cam member, said strand passing circumferentially of said cam member, between said cam member and said roll, circumferentially of said roll, and between said roll and said bobbin, whereby said strand is guided at 'high speed by said cam member and a reverse bend of said strand isl metrically opposite the point of engagement of said roll with said bobbin, and means for feeding said strand to said cam member tangentially of the same at a. point substantially diametrically opposite the point of engagement of said roll with said cam member, said strand passing semi-circumferentially of said cam member, between said cam member and said roll, semi-circumferentially of said roll, and between said roll and said bobbin, whereby said strand isguided at high speed by said cam member and two reverse bends of said strand are produced and it is laid on said bobbin tightly without kinking or whipping.

3. In radio coil-winding apparatus, means for winding a wire strand at relatively high speedv carried on the shaft of said driving gear, a roll of substantially smaller diameter than said bobbin carried by said support above the bobbin and gravitationally engaging the same, a. cylindrical cam member of substantially larger diameter than said roll, having a surface groove therein, rotatably carried by said support above said roll and engaging the same at a point substantially diametrically opposite the point of engagement of said roll with said bobbin, a gear associated with said cam member and meshing with said driving gear, and means for feeding said strand to said cam member tangentially of the same at a point substantially diametrically opposite the point of engagement of said roll with said cam member, said strand passing semi-circumferentially of said cam member, between said cam member and said roll, semi-circumferentially of said roll, and between said roll and said bobbin, whereby said strand is guided at high speed by said cam member and two reverse bends of said `strand are produced and it is laid on said bobbin 

